The submarine fleet became part of the naval forces of different countries during the First World War. Exploration work in the field of underwater shipbuilding began long before it began, but only after 1914 the requirements of the fleet management for the tactical and technical characteristics of submarines were finally formulated. The main condition under which they could act was stealth. Submarines of World War II in their structure and principles of operation did not differ much from their predecessors of previous decades. The structural difference, as a rule, consisted in technological innovations and some units and assemblies invented in the 20s and 30s that improve seaworthiness and survivability.
German submarines before the war
The terms of the Treaty of Versailles did not allow Germany to build many types of ships and create a full-fledged navy. In the prewar period, ignoring the restrictions imposed by the Entente countries in 1918, German shipyards nevertheless launched a dozen and a half ocean-class submarines (U-25, U-26, U-37, U-64, etc.). Their displacement in the surface position was about 700 tons. Smaller submarines (500 t) in the amount of 24 pcs. (with numbers from U-44) plus 32 coastal coastal range units had the same displacement and constituted auxiliary forces of the kriegsmarine. All of them were armed with bow guns and torpedo tubes (usually 4 bow and 2 stern).
So, despite many prohibitive measures, by 1939 the German Navy was armed with fairly modern submarines. The Second World War immediately after it began showed the high efficiency of this class of weapons.
Hitting Britain
Britain took the first blow of the Nazi war machine. Oddly enough, the admirals of the empire most highly rated the danger posed by German battleships and cruisers. From the experience of the previous large-scale conflict, they assumed that the area of ​​action of the submarines would be limited to a relatively narrow coastal strip, and their detection would not be a big problem.
It turned out, however, that German submarines of World War II could become a much more dangerous weapon than a surface fleet. Attempts to establish a sea blockade of the northern coast were unsuccessful. On the very first day of the war, the Athenia liner was torpedoed, and on September 17 the Koreiges aircraft carrier sank, the British hoped to use its aircraft as an effective anti-submarine vehicle. It was not possible to block the actions of the "wolf packs" of Admiral Dennits, they acted more and more boldly. On October 14, 1939, the U-47 submarine entered the Scapa Flow Royal Navy base and, from the surface, torpedoed the anchored battleship Royal Oak. Vessels perished every day.
Dannitsa sword and shield of Britain
By 1940, the Germans sank British ships with a total tonnage of over two million tons. The catastrophe of Britain seemed inevitable. Of interest to historians are chronicles telling about the role that submarines of the Second World War played. The film “Battle for the Atlantic” tells of the struggle of the fleets for control of the ocean highways, which supplied the warring countries. It was difficult to fight the “wolves” of Dennitsa, but each problematic task carries a solution; it was found this time too. Advances in the field of radar made it possible to detect not only visually, but also in conditions of zero visibility, and at a distance, German submarines.
The Second World War had not yet reached its peak phase, it was April 1941, but the U-110 submarine was already sunk. She was the last surviving of those with whom Hitler began the fighting.
What is snorkel?
From the very beginning of the appearance of submarines, designers considered various options for energy supply of the power plant. Submarines of the Second World War were driven by an electric motor, and in the surface position - a diesel engine. The main problem preventing the preservation of secrecy was the need to periodically pop up to recharge the batteries. It was during the forced unmasking that the submarines were vulnerable, they could be detected by airplanes and radars. In order to reduce this risk, the so-called snorkel was invented. It is a retractable pipe system through which atmospheric air necessary for fuel combustion enters the diesel compartment and exhaust gases are removed .
The use of snorkel helped to reduce the loss of submarines, although in addition to radars there were other means of their detection, such as sonar.
Innovation Left Unattended
Despite the obvious advantages, only German submarines of the Second World War were equipped with snorkels . The USSR and other countries left this invention without attention, although there were conditions for borrowing experience. It is believed that the Dutch shipbuilders were the first to use snorkels, but it is also known that in 1925 the Italian military engineer Ferretti designed such devices, but then they abandoned this idea. In 1940, Holland was captured by fascist Germany, but its submarine fleet (4 units) managed to leave for Great Britain. They also did not appreciate this, of course, the right device. Snorkels were dismantled, considering them a very dangerous and doubtfully useful device.
The builders of submarines did not use other revolutionary technical solutions. Improved batteries, devices for charging them, improved air regeneration systems, but the principle of submarines remained unchanged.
Submarines of World War II, USSR
Photos of the North Sea heroes Lunin, Marinesko, Starikov were printed not only by Soviet newspapers, but also by foreign ones. Submariners were real heroes. In addition, the most successful commanders of Soviet submarines became the personal enemies of Adolf Hitler himself, and they did not need better recognition.
A huge role in the naval battle unfolding in the northern seas and in the Black Sea basin was played by Soviet submarines. World War II began in 1939, and in 1941 Nazi Germany attacked the USSR. At that time, the submarines of several main types were in service with our fleet:
- Submarine Decembrist. The series (except for the title unit two more - "Narodovolets and" Krasnogvardeets ") was laid in 1931. Total displacement - 980 tons.
- Series “L” - “Leninist”. The 1936 project, displacement - 1400 tons, the ship is armed with six TA, in the ammunition 12 torpedoes and 20 sea ​​mines, two guns (bow - 100 mm and stern - 45 mm).
- Series "L-XIII" with a displacement of 1200 tons
- Series "" ("Pike") with a displacement of 580 tons.
- Series "C" , 780 tons, is armed with six SLTs and two guns - 100 mm and 45 mm.
- Series "K" . Displacement - 2200 tons. Developed in 1938, an underwater cruiser, developing a speed of 22 knots (surface position) and 10 nodes (underwater position). Ocean class boat. Armed with six torpedo tubes (6 bow and 4 stern TAs).
- Series "M" - "Baby". Displacement - from 200 to 250 tons (depending on version). Projects of 1932 and 1936, 2 TA, autonomy - 2 weeks.
"Baby"
Submarines of the M series are the most compact submarines of the Second World War of the USSR. The film "Navy of the USSR. Chronicle of Victory ”tells about the glorious combat path of many crews who skillfully used the unique driving characteristics of these ships in combination with their small size. Sometimes the commanders succeeded in imperceptibly getting into the well-defended enemy bases and evading pursuit. "Babies" could be transported by rail and launched in the Black Sea and the Far East.
Along with the advantages, the M series had, of course, drawbacks, but no equipment could do without them: short autonomy, only two torpedoes in the absence of stock, cramped conditions and tiring conditions of service associated with the small number of crews. These difficulties did not prevent the heroic submariners from winning impressive victories over the enemy.
In different countries
Of interest are the quantities in which the submarines of World War II were in service with the fleets of different countries before the war. As of 1939, the USSR had the largest fleet of submarines (more than 200 units), followed by a powerful Italian submarine fleet (more than a hundred units), France took the third place (86 units), the UK occupied the fourth place (69), and the fifth - Japan (65) and sixth - Germany (57). During the war, the balance of power changed, and this list was built almost in the reverse order (with the exception of the number of Soviet boats). In addition to those launched at our shipyards, the British Navy also had an English-built submarine that became part of the Baltic Fleet after Estonia was annexed (Lembit, 1935).
After the war
The battles on land, in the air, on and below the water died down. For many years, the Soviet "Pike" and "Baby" continued to defend their home country, then they were used to train cadets of naval military schools. Some of them became monuments and museums, others rusted in the cemeteries of submarines.
Submarines over the past decades after the war almost did not take part in the hostilities that are constantly taking place in the world. There were local conflicts, sometimes escalating into serious wars, but the submarines did not find combat work. They became more and more secretive, moved quieter and faster, gained unlimited autonomy thanks to the achievements of nuclear physics.